Kindergarten Newsletter

 

November 8, 2024

 

Religion

Involuntary childlessness may cause pain for parents in any generation. But in the time of Hannah, it was even worse, as children were considered a mark of God’s blessing. As a strong believer, Hannah knew where to turn for help: to the Lord.  Kindergarten children aren’t going to understand the magnitude of Hannah’s despair but they probably have had some strong desires and not just selfish ones.  We can be confident that the Lord will hear and answer our prayers, whatever they may be, big or small.  The tricky part for a 5-year-old is that God does hear their prayers but the answer may not always be the one that they want.     Call to Me and I will answer you. Jeremiah 33:3

 

Special Requested Guest

Next week, we will be doing a variety of projects involving Teddy Bears. I am asking the children to bring a Teddy Bear that can stay with us for the week. The bears will be used in science, art, and dramatic play, so there will be bears every day. If your child does not have a teddy bear, I have a few extras in the classroom.

 

What Have We Learned

Lesson Topic – The Scarecrow by Cynthia Rylant is an awesome piece of literature for us to integrate knowledge and ideas. Scarecrows are supposed to keep the crows away but, in this story, it just doesn’t seem to be happening. What evidence did we find within the pages that helped us to formulate new ideas?  The scarecrow was kind and gentle perfectly content with his surroundings.  What lessons were learned?

Phonics – We have now finished Unit 1 which isolated letter sounds and the corresponding grapheme, which is a super cool word for letters.   

Writing – We continue working on settings by adding the element of plot.  If you happen to go to a particular location, what would you do or see? 

Math – What are some ways that we can compare sets of objects?  One of the goals of math is to get children to think about the “hows” and “whys” of math.  This builds a strong foundation and encourages critical thinking.  In answer to the previous question, we shared and demonstrated counting, representing, lining up, and buddy lines.  What all of these things have in common is that we don’t just rely on how something looks. We as mathematicians need to prove our answers. 

Science – Where do animals live?   We remember when God created our world.  With just His Word, the air, water, and land were filled with every living creature.  We explored animal habitats and how animals adapt to their environment.  

Stem Challenge 1 –We used our wooden blocks to create a maze. As the groups worked together, there were  dead ends, quick turns, and only one way out. 

Stem Challenge 2 – Create nocturnal animals using pattern blocks

Afternoon Art – Our baby owls are so cute.  It’s amazing how just a bit of difference in the eyes can show so many personalities.

Dramatic Play – Mr. Witek winterized the camper and it is now stored away until next spring.  This sad event brings forth the realization that winter is approaching.  We decided to go camping indoors with tents, a tripod grill, and a picnic table.  The children enjoyed this.

 

 

Theme: Endure

Verse: "...and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith..."  Hebrews 12:1-3